The Korean cuisine is full of flavors, colours and deliciousness. But where in Korea did the dishes first appear?

Some dishes have been enjoyed throughout the Korean peninsula since days forgotten, but others were only found in certain areas.

If you get the chance to travel in Korea, make sure to refer to this list. Maybe the place you are going to can boast of having the authentic version of a certain dish!

1. Busan Dwaeji Gukbap

Most people would agree that Dwaeji Gukbap (Pork Rice Soup) is the most representative food of Busan. When I was down in Busan, I asked the locals where to find the best soup, but everyone would give me different answers.

The origin of Dwaeji Gukbab dates back to the Korean War, when refugees who fled to Busan used ingredients discarded by the US military, such as pork bones, minced meat, etc., and made a soup of it. This was the start of Busan Dwaeji Gukbap, and both memory of past times as well as the dish have been passed down to this day.

2. Naju Gomtang

Although they are both milky white beef soups, Gomtang is different from Seolleongtang. The latter uses mainly beef bones, while Gomtang is made with more meat, simmered at a low heat. The result is a slightly opaque and rich soup. Personally, I prefer Gomtang.

The story behind Naju Gomtang goes that during the Japanese colonial period, Naju was an area with plenty of livestock, including cattle. The cattle were used for food and leather products, with leftover meat and offal given to local workers so they could make stew out of it.

However, being leftovers, the ingredients were not the best. To remove impurities and the bad smell, the workers would cook the stew for hours on end, and the result became the Gomtang as we know today!

3. Icheon Rice

Supposedly, the best rice in Korea is the one that grows in Icheon, Gyeonggi-do.

As early as the Joseon Dynasty, the rice from Icheon was sent to the King’s Palace. Common people were not allowed to eat it without permission. Nowadays, this white rice has become the most iconic rice in Korea.

4. Daegu Gopchang

The fame of Daegu Gopchang (beef, sometimes pork intestines) can be traced back to the 1970s and 80s. Several gopchang stalls opened in Daegu’s Anjirang Market, and more would follow.

During the Korean financial crisis, many Koreans who had lost their jobs opened up restaurants or stalls in order to support themselves and their families. The same happened in Daegu, where Anjirang Gopchang Street gradually began to take the shape it has today.

Outside of Daegu, you can also find Wangsimni Gopchang Street in Seoul. These two streets are probably the two places in Korea with the highest density of gopchang restaurants!

5. Andong Jjimdak

Jjimdak, or Korean Braised Chicken, is a favorite dish of many. Many ingredients are mixed and simmered. The slightly spicy taste goes great with rice. And everyone knows about the birthplace of the dish – Andong.

One theory is that in the Joseon Dynasty, the scholar-officials (Yangban) who lived within Andong’s city walls would make a kind of braised chicken dish on special days, and eventually it became Andong Jjimdak.

Another theory is that it developed from a garlic chicken dish popular in Andong Market in the late 1970s. Starting in the 1980s, noodles, potato, radish, soy sauce, sugar, and more ingredients were added to create the Jjimdak we know today.

6. Jeonju Bibimbap

Bibimbap is one of the most classic Korean dishes, and the one served in Jeonju is the most famous.

Jeonju Bibimbap is mentioned in the 19^th century cookbook "Siuijeonseo", which claims that Jeonju’s version of bibimbap is the most famous in Korea. Second most famous is the recipe from Jinju.

It’s not an overstatement to say that bibimbap is one of top 3 dishes in Korea. The famous Jeonju Royal Court Bibimbap is a nutritious meal which offers a balanced intake of carbs, fats, protein, and vitamins.

In addition to being a dish served to the Royal Court, the dish also reflects a Korean mindset that nothing should be wasted; bibimbap can be made with leftovers from other dishes.

Records tell us that bibimbap appeared in Jeonju about 200 years ago.

7. Jeju Black Pork

The most famous pork on Jeju Island is the "black pork" which is endemic to Jeju Island. The name comes from the black hair which covers its body. Smaller than other domestic pigs, you only find it on Jeju Island.

It is a delicacy that is often named as a must-eat food when going to Jeju Island.In addition to black pork, Jeju is famous for its orange, the hallabong orange. Popular souvenir gifts such as chocolate often have a hallabong flavor, and most Koreans who go to Jeju will come back with a bunch of these oranges.

8. Chuncheon Buckwheat Noodles

Rice and wheat are difficult to grow in barren areas, but buckwheat production is still possible, which is why buckwheat dishes are common in the northern areas of Korea.

Buckweat noodles from Chuncheon as well as Pyongyang cold noodles are popular dishes enjoyed by all Koreans.

The workers who built Chuncheon's Soyang River Dam in the past enjoyed the cheap and easy-to-digest buckwheat noodles in the area, and eventually it became the representative dish of Chuncheon.

9. Busan Naengchae Jokbal

Jokbal, or pork trotters, is a dish that is enjoyed throughout Korea, but it is in Busan you will find the Naengchae Jokbal. Served chilled with jellyfish slices, vegetables and more, it is a dish worth trying out when you go to the southern city.

The Naengchae Jokbal originated in the Jokbal Street in Bupyeong-dong, Busan, and it is still a beloved dish among locals. Put this on the list together with Busan Pork Soup for things to eat in Busan!

10. Incheon Jajangmyeon

Korean style Jajangmyeon (also spelled Jjajangmyeon) was created by Chinese who came to Incheon during the Qing dynasty (late 19th century – early 20th century), missing the taste of their home land. Different from the one you find in China, the Korean jajang sauce is black, a color created by fermented beans and added caramel.

The changes to the original recipe were mainly due to cost-saving measures, so the not so well-off laborers could afford it. But the resulting sweet sauce was very appealing to Korean taste buds, and it is now a very popular dish throughout Korea.

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